We founded LinkedIn in 2003 because we recognized that the world was changing in two interrelated ways. First, technology advancements were disrupting companies and changing entire industries. Second, globalization — which is partly a function of technology — was making the world of work for professionals more competitive. These changes are redefining how individual professionals survive and thrive in the modern economy. One part of my thesis when cofounding LinkedIn was that, in response to these changes, individuals in every industry need to think of themselves as the CEOs of their own careers. People should invest in themselves as businesses-of-one, especially if they are employees at a company. We built LinkedIn to be the platform on which you could manage your professional life in this way.
We kept it simple at the beginning. We provided every professional with the opportunity to have an identity on the web, connect with colleagues, and find the right resources to get work done. But being CEO of your career means more than this. In the years since starting the company, we have extended the LinkedIn platform: We’re helping you acquire relevant business intelligence on your industry, identify the skills you need to master, make the right connections, and ultimately become better at the job you already have.
- Topics:
- Consumer
